Another top-tier Rugby player from overseas is trying to make it in the NFL.
This time, it's 26-year-old Jarryd Hayne, who was recently named the best player in the National Rugby League for the second time. His decision to quit the sport for a chance to play for an NFL team in 2015 was one of the biggest "bombshells" in the history of the sport, according to one Australian newspaper.
Hayne spent some time recently touring the Seattle Seahawks facility and says he's spoken with Reggie Bush about the game.
"I'm always telling people to chase their dreams and follow their hearts -- if I don't live by that I'm not being honest with myself," he said, via The Associated Press. "I'm so passionate about the challenge that lies ahead for me, not only as an athlete but more so as a person. It's the hardest decision I have ever had to make in my life ... but for me to grow as an athlete and a person I feel this is the right step to take."
Hayne said he sees himself as a kick returner, which would be interesting at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds. While some reporters who follow the sport say he's not as quick as Bush, they labeled Hayne as one of the most elusive players in rugby.
Hayne's experiment will be an interesting one. On one hand, the Jets ended up releasing tight end Hayden Smith after just a handful of games and one catch. But having seen Smith up close, his ability to pick up the game was impressive. The Jets' decision to cut bait was not an indictment on his physical ability to play in the NFL by any stretch.
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